A Lipard's Tale
by Shadaria and Shadaria's twin
Summary: I'm Ontibile. This is my story. I'm 3/4 Leopard and 1/4 Lion. I'm not normal and niether is my life. So let's go! The rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

Mama was moving us again. There was a hyena and I wanted to play with it but Mama said it would kill me if it had the chance. We're moving back to the place where Mama said I was born. I loved to travel but Mama always told me to stay close to home. When we got to our new home Mama layed down in the shade while I explored anything new in the home I barely remembered. I jumped from rock to rock and climbed the trees. My mane fell in my eyes a few times and I tripped but didn't get hurt.

"Mama, I'm hungry," I said rubbing up against her.

"Go play, Ontibile," Mama said and pushed me away.

I went back to playing and chasing birds out of the tree.

"I'm hungry," I whined rubbing up against Mama again, "Please go hunt."

"I'll hunt when I'm ready," she said and I kept bugging her then she whacked me away, "I said when I'm ready!"

My ears layed back and I walked off. Mama could be mean sometimes.

"Mommy!" I heard someone shout and I ran in that direction, "Mommy, where are you?"

I peeked over a rock and saw a lion cub.

"Mommy!"

"Hey," I said and he turned to me scared, "Do you want to play?"

"I want to find my Mommy," he said and I hopped down to him, "I'm lost."

"Sorry," I said and climbed up a tree to look for his Mom, "I don't see any other lions anywhere."

"Aren't you a lion?" he asked and I looked down at him.

I was confused until my mane fell into my eyes and I blew it out of my way.

"No, I'm a leopard," I said and climbed back down the tree, "My Mama's just over those rocks."

He took off running and I ran after him.

"Where are you going?" I called but he never turned back.

"Ontibile, who are you talking too?" Mama asked and I looked up at her.

I sighed, ran back to her, and jumped up beside her.

"Are you going hunting now?" I asked rubbing up against her legs.

"Yes but you're staying here," she said then picked me up and set me in the tree, "Stay here until I come back."

"But..."

She was gone. I rolled my eyes and climbed deep into the tree. There was a den space that stayed cool in the hotness outside. I fell asleep but a noise woke me. I climbed out of the tree and looked up at a herd of elephants.

"Cool!" I said and went to play with them.

I ran in and out of the tree trunk like legs until I came to an elephant kid.

"Do you want to play?" I asked and it turned to me.

"Mama!" it shouted and all the elephants turned to me.

"Uh, oh," I said and took off.

I was kicked, rolled, flung, and I finally got away. I was sore and didn't make it all the way back home... actually I was lost.

"Mama!" I called as loud as I could, "Mama!"

My throat grew dry and I quit calling. I heard the voice of the same lion cub that I had met earlier. I found him and we started playing. At least we weren't alone now.

"I'm Taka," he said as he tried to pin me.

"I'm Ontibile," I said and pinned him, "Pinned ya!"

We played for a long while, trying to forget our hunger and being lost. When night came and we hadn't been found yet, we found a place that I remembered to be safe and slept there for the night. I woke up when a storm was coming and grew scared. I saw lightning and covered my head with my paws. I whimpered and scooted closer to Taka.

"It's okay, I'm here," Taka said and I hid my eyes in his fur.

I was so scared and the storm was all around us. There was no way to escape the storm. My fear slipped away as I fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

After two weeks we still hadn't been found and we scavenged for food. I had seen the hyenas do it before so I didn't think it would be that hard.

"I see something!" Taka said and I stood up, "Look over there!"

I looked in the direction he was pointing and saw vultures.

"Let's go!" we said and took off running.

It was an old carcass of a buffalo but we were too hungry to care. We ate every bite that we could until we heard hyenas. We took off and climbed up at tree.

"Are you part baboon?" Taka asked still trying to get on the first branch.

I went back and pulled him up.

"Nope, I'm just a leopard," I said smiling and then we laughed, "Well, with a bit of lion in me too."

We stayed in that tree for a few days just resting up for travel. Before we became hungry again we started traveling. I didn't know if I was heading towards home or not and neither did Taka. We came to a place that Taka recognized and he said he was home. I watched as he ran to a huge rock and was greeted by his family. I sighed and went on my way. I was alone again. I saw a butterfly and started chasing it.

"Hey, come back!" I said as it flew out of my reach.

I smiled and then started traveling again as happy as I could be on my own. I traveled day and night until I came to a tree that smelled familiar. It was the place Mama and I had lived when I wanted to play with a hyena.

"Mama!" I shouted then climbed up the tree and looked out, "Mama!"

"Ontibile!" Mama shouted and I grew happier then ever before, "Ontibile, where are you?"

"I'm coming, Mama, I'm coming!" I shouted climbing down the tree.

I followed her voice until I finally found her.

"Oh, Ontibile," Mama said as we nuzzled each other with tears following down our faces, "Oh, my sweet little Ontibile. What happened? Where did you go?"

I told her the whole story from the herd of elephants to when we were reunited. She carried me back home and this time I didn't complain. I stuck close to her for the next couple of days but that didn't keep me back forever. I was getting into trouble again for wandering too far from home and bugging for food.

Mama reminded me every day about my journey but I didn't let it hold me back. I was half Mama's size and I knew that someone had to be watching out for me. I've been through so much that other cubs would, most likely, have died. I was one happy-go-lucky cub.


	3. Chapter 3

**I forgot to put earlier that I don't own Taka and yes Ontibile is about the same age as Taka, Mufasa, Sarabi, and Sarafina.**

Mama's been acting strange lately. She makes me hunt more and walks away when I come near. One day I had brought down an antelope and we were eating it.

"Mama, can I ask you something?" I asked but she just mumbled, "Why are you being so... distant from me?"

She stopped eating but wouldn't look at me. I sat back and waited.

"You're old enough to be on your own," she finally said and looked up at me.

"But I don't want to be on my own," I said standing up as my fur bristled.

"I was on my own when I was your age," she stood up and walked away, "I'll give you two days to get out. If you're not out by then you won't see another day, Ontibile."

I took off running. I wasn't far from the border of Mama's land and I knew she wasn't kidding, she would kill me if I wasn't out. Once I was out of her land I slowed down and trotted. I didn't know where to go now.

"Life's not fair," I said as I trotted, "I hate being on my own."

I traveled for a few days without stopping. I had one destination in mind and I knew I was close when I had to stop and make a kill. I heard a roar in the direction I was heading and stood up. I couldn't see anything so I stood up on my back paws. For the few seconds I could stand like that I saw a hunting party of lions heading this way. I took off and decided I couldn't win this fight. I was on my own until I ran into some other leopards my age. With the hope that I could join them I trotted over to them. When they saw me they ran towards me. My heart rose and then dropped when I saw they were attacking. I turned tail and ran. Now I know once on your own always on your own. I decided that I would never have a friend again. I started looking for a land of my own. I decided to take part of the Shadowlands, Outlands, and Pridelands. It seemed safe enough to me and there was plenty of food. I found a huge tree that was strong enough to hold me and my prey. Life was starting to look up.

One day not long after I had gotten my own land, I went hunting. I took down a zebra like it was nothing and started eating. I heard something coming towards me and slid into the tall grass. I peeked trough the grass and saw a lion coming this way. He couldn't have been much older than me. I started growling and watched as he grew scared. I stepped out of the grass and put one paw on my kill. I growled louder and harsher than ever. I could take this lion easily. For a flash of a second I thought something was familiar about this lion. He took a step forward and I flung myself at him. We tumbled through the grass and I pinned him. I put my face close to his and growled most threateningly.

"Ontibile?"

I stopped growling. I tilted my head and closed my eyes saying, "Taka."

"Yeah, it's me," he said and I opened my eyes.

I let him up and walked away. Once alone always alone. I went back to my kill and started eating.

"It's been awhile," he said sitting down beside me but I just grunted, "You've grown... we've both grown actually."

I looked at him from the corner of my eye but didn't say anything. He was handsome and his mane had grown a lot, it was now down his neck and some on his chest.

"So where's your Mom?" he asked looking around worriedly.

I sat up and turned away from him.

"She kicked me out not long ago," I said and started walking to my home, "I'm old enough to be on my own now, Taka."

I climbed the tree and layed on the lowest branch looking down at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked and I sighed closing my eyes.

"This is my land," I said and climbed higher into the tree, "I live here now... alone."

I hid myself from him in the tree.

"Why don't you come live with me and my pride?"

I stuck my head down through the leaves and looked at him. Leopards and lions were enemies from the start. His pride would kill me if I showed up. My mane fell in my face and I sighed. Maybe they'll accept me... it's better to be an outcast than alone. I jumped down and landed beside him.

"Fine I'll go with you," I said and he started acting like a young cub.

I followed him to Priderock, his home. Along the way he talked about everything that had happened to him since we parted so long ago. Once I saw the pride I backed up and stayed out of their sight. Taka went ahead and I heard him talking to his pride. He told them about our journeys home when we were cubs and then told them about meeting me again. Suddenly, a cub just leaving babyhood ran into my leg. I looked down at her and she looked up at me, confused.

"Who are you?" she asked and I smiled.

So curious and fearless, ha, reminds me of when I was a cub... she even has a tuft but it matches her fur.

"I'm Ontibile," I said and lowered my head to her, "Who are you, my little friend?"

"I'm Esme!" she said and ran around me, "You still have your spots but you're as old as Taka. That means your still a baby."

I stopped her with my paw and she looked up at me.

"The reason I still have my spots is because I made fun of others when I was young so my spots came back," I said and saw fear in her eyes but than it was gone.

She stood proudly and said, "Mama says that I can make fun of whoever I want because my cousin's the prince."

I rolled my eyes.

"Esme, Ontibile, come here," Taka said looking down at us.

I followed Esme up and stood beside Taka. When the older lion lunged at me, I turned tail and ran. I never looked back nor did I go home. I ran and ran until I came to the ocean. The sand felt weird under my paws but I hadn't seen a single lion or leopard all this way. My new land was wide and lush. The herds were great and good. There were plenty of trees to live in and plenty of hyenas if I wanted a fight. Now that I wouldn't be bothered by prides I knew that my life would finally get better. I layed out on a warm rock and sighed with a full stomach. This was the life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ontibile and Barke are rightfully mine do not try to steal them and please ask before you use them in a story.**

I'm only a year from adulthood now and I'm happy. I've been doing great over the last few years though it's very lonely. I haven't spoken since I ran away. I'm not even sure I can speak anymore but I never found a reason to try. I was walking along the beach when I spotted a lion in the distance behind the tree I called home right now. I watched him when, suddenly, he stopped. I tried to duck but it was too late. He had seen me and he started this way. I just sat there and watched him. Once he was ten feet from me he sat down. We starred at each other but didn't move. For some reason I feel like I know him.

He has blue stripes going through his mane and one in his tail tuft. He slowly stood up and took slow steps toward me. I blinked at him and tensed up once he was a foot from me. He stopped and sat down. My heart was beating faster, my blood pumping more, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

"What are you doing in my land?" I asked almost too quietly.

"Just passing through," he said but didn't move, "I'm Barke, who are you?"

"Ontibile," I said as my voice grew back to normal, "And this is my land."

"I'll leave if you want me to," he said and I looked down, "Just tell me to leave."

I looked up at him and shook my head. His deep but light blue eyes caught my attention and held it.

"I... I can't," I whispered and a lock of my mane fell in front of my left eye he gently moved it away, "I don't want you to go... I've never felt this way around anyone before."

"Neither have I, Onti," he said and pulled me to him.

I went willingly and put my head in his mane. He was probably six months older than me yet his mane was fully grown. He put his head on my neck and I sighed. This felt so right somehow.

"Will you travel with me?"

I looked up at him confused. I looked over his shoulder at my home. The place I've lived for the last few years.

"Yes," I said without thinking, "but why can't we just stay here?"

"It doesn't feel like home here," he said pulling away from me but still looking at me, "Does it to you?"

I shook my head and we started walking. We talked for a long while, mainly about what we thought of as home, until night came and we found a place to rest. I fell asleep a few inches away from him. When I woke up it was raining and a storm was all around us. I grew scared and layed my head on my paws as my mane covered my face.

"Hey... Don't worry. I'm here, and I promise I'll protect you... There's no need to be afraid..." he cooed.

I slowly nudged my body closer to his and drifted back asleep. The next morning I woke up and the storm was gone. It was still raining but not a lot. Barke's head was right next to mine.

"Glad to see you stopped crying," he mumbled and I looked at him.

He yawned and rolled onto his back.

"I don't cry," I said defensively sitting up.

"Oh I see," he said and sat up looking at me, "So the bitter water I licked off your face wasn't tears?"

He licked my tears away? I looked at him confused and then looked away as anger tried to control me.

"You shouldn't have done that," I mumbled but he just laughed, "I'm not a cub, Barke, I don't need to be looked after."

I started walking and he fell into step beside me.

"Why didn't you tell me you're afraid of storms?"

I looked at him as we walked and then looked away.

"It's not the storm."

"Huh?"

"It's the lightning," I said and memories flashed back in my mind, "When I was little I was almost killed by our tree catching on fire by lightning. Ever since than... I've been passionately afraid of lightning."

He didn't say anything and we walked in a comfortable silence. I usually hated silence but this time I tried to tolerate it. I soon started to hum a lullaby that was older than time. Barke joined my humming and soon my tail started flicking to the beat.

"Song of the ages," Barke said with a small chuckle and I looked at him confused, "It's been passed down from Mother to cub since the beginning of time in my pride."

"I learned it from a dream," I said and glanced up at the sky, "My Mama never knew it."

We started running but it was a relaxed and fun run. When we slowed down I heard my stomach growl.

"I'm going to hunt," I said and started to walk away.

"I'll help," Barke said and I looked at him.

I'd never heard of male lions hunting. We made a plan for a herd of buffalo nearby. I snuck through the grass and got around the herd. Barke was hiding on the other side. I jumped out and made them go towards him. He jumped up and brought one down. I trotted over to him and smiled. It was huge but still struggling as he started to eat. I snapped the buffalo's neck to keep him from suffering more. I started eating but heard Barke growl. I backed up and sat down. He looked at me and spit a bone out. I rolled my eyes and went back to eating beside him. Once we were full we started walking again. Home couldn't be much further away.


	5. Chapter 5

**I was asked why Ontibile is what she is. You can look that up on my account.**A year has passed and I'm finally an adult. I'm also heavy with cubs. We've found the perfect spot and it actually feels like home.

* * *

"Can life get any better?" I asked as I layed my head on Barke's paws.

"I don't think so, Onti," he said and purred against my stomach, "Well, maybe it can."

Suddenly, Amani tumbled out of the bushes.

"Mama, Papa, there's a black lion nearby!" he said running to me.

He wiggled under my paw and tried to hide. I looked up at Barke and he stood up.

"I'll be back," he said and walked the way Amani had come.

"Are you sure it was a black lion?" I asked and he nodded, "Was it in a tree?"

He nodded again and I giggled, "Amani, that's a jaguar. They already agreed not to hurt us. That's why I'm queen and Barke's king."

"And I'm a prince right?" he asked coming out from under my paw.

"Of a sort," I said and he smiled, "Now come here, it's time for your bath."

I grabbed him and started giving him a bath.

"Watch the mane!" he said but I just giggled.

He didn't have a mane but he liked to say he did. He finally gave up and enjoyed the bath. Amani wasn't really our cub but he didn't remember much about his past when we found him. Before his bath was finished he was asleep in my arms. Barke came back and smiled at both of us before laying back down.

"It was just Night," he said and I nodded laying my head back on his neck, "You both look pretty comfortable."

"You have no idea," I said smiling.

Suddenly, something hit my rump. I looked back and saw a cub. He couldn't have been much older than Amani but he seemed frightened.

"Are you lost, cub?" I asked and felt Barke look back too.

"No," he said and I heard the sadness in his voice.

I let Amani slide out of my arms and then turned to the cub.

"What's the matter?" Barke asked and the cub looked down.

"Nothing."

He started to walk away, "Where you going?"

"Nowhere."

I looked at Barke and he nodded. I followed the cub and sat down beside him.

"I don't know what happened and I'm not going to make you tell me but you're welcome to stay here," I said and he looked up at me with tears in his eyes, "Amani could use a friend. I'm Ontibile and my mate's Barke."

"I heard about you from my Uncle Scar," the cub said as a smile grew on his face, "My name's Simba."

"Welcome to the family, Simba," I said and walked him back over to Barke and Amani, "Wake up, my dear, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Five more minutes, Mama," Amani said covering his head with his paws.

"Amani isn't our real son," Barke explained as I tried to wake Amani, "We found him on our way here. This is our true home."

I finally got Amani woke up enough to meet Simba but he fell back asleep.

"He's been playing all morning," I said rolling my eyes at my son, "You'll have to forgive him. He usually takes a nap around this time."

"That's okay. I'm kind of tired too," Simba said then yawned, "I think I'll take a nap too."

He layed down beside Amani and quickly fell asleep. I walked to a cave as I felt a kick. The time was soon. I could feel Barke watching me as I walked away. I went to the very back of the cave and layed down just before my first cub was born.

She looked like a leopard with two blue stripes on her rump. As she started to suckle another cub was born.

He looked like a leopard with a tuft of blue mane. Before he was fully clean another cub was born.

He looked like a white lion with leopard spots. I thought that was all but, apparently, I wasn't that lucky.

Two more cubs were born at the same time. They both had Barke's fur with spots on their rump, tail, and shoulders. The girl had a big light blue spot covering her left eye and her brother had the same spot covering his right eye.

After I made sure they were completely clean I let Barke and the cubs come in. Our cubs were laying in the same order they were born.

"They're beautiful," Barke said as the cubs sniffed them, "What are we going to call them?"

"I'm calling this one Akia," I said pointing to the first born.

"Can we call this one Anwar?" Amani asked pointing to the cub beside Akia.

"Of course," I said then looked at Simba, "Do you want to name the next one?"

I saw Simba's eyes water as he looked at the third cub.

"Mheetu," he said and licked the cub, "Let's call him Mheetu."

"These two are Ulan and Zesiro," I said as Barke purred into my neck, "My precious little twins."

Simba and Amani were happily talking about all the fun they were going to have with their new siblings. I layed my head down and looked around at my happy family. I sighed knowing that nothing could be better.


End file.
